Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting

This program, now in its 16th year, is a partnership between the Writers Guild Initiative and the King Family Foundation.

This year, the Black List will choose ten screenplays to send to the Writers Guild Initiative selection committee for consideration. The short list will be determined in March, and the Fellowship recipient will be selected by WGI no later than May 30, 2024.

Purpose

• The purpose of the fellowship is to provide an opportunity for an emerging screenwriter to develop an original screenplay and assist in transitioning into the professional world of screenwriting.  The Writers Guild Initiative (WGI) is looking for diverse and unique voices, and for projects that are character driven and personal in nature. They are exclusively seeking feature films; no shorts, plays, or TV pilots at this time.

Funding Information

• The winner receives a $10,000 stipend to write an original screenplay (not the script used to opt in to the fellowship) and is mentored during the course of the fellowship year by a prominent screenwriter.
• The winner of this year’s Fellowship will be announced in spring 2024 and will be invited to attend the 2025 WGI Gala.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entrant must submit a full-length feature screenplay on blcklst.com during the overall submission period November 13, 2023 through March 15, 2024.
• Entrant must be the sole and exclusive author of the screenplay submitted for consideration.
• Entrant must be over the age of 18 and no older than the age of 25 by 12/31/23 and competent to contract.
• Entrant must not be represented by an agent or manager in the film or television industry at the time Entrant opts into this program.
• Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.
• If requested, the entrant must submit the following, which are also governed by the submission requirements and agreement:
  • A personal statement
  • A professional resume
  • Contact and other personal information
  • A logline and 250 word synopsis of the submitted screenplay
  • Two page pitch of film you’d like to write during the fellowship year
  • Signed originals of the Submission Agreement.

For more information, visit Black List.